Garments Having Padding

ABSTRACT

A garment worn by humans having a pocket attached to the garment, wherein the pocket has an access point for inserting and removing a padding and the pocket comprises an absence of material at a point or over a area where the user will come into contact with a surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to apparel, more specifically to garments worn by humans having a pocket attached to the garment wherein the pocket contains a padding for protecting the knees while the user is kneeling or protecting the users knees from falling.

Many people are required to kneel at various times throughout the day inter alia carpenters, roofers, gardeners, floor installers, cleaners, plumbers, electricians, law enforcement personal, painters, and other occupations that require a person to spend a considerable amount of time kneeling while completing their jobs. In addition many people participate in activities that use knee pads to protect their knees when they fall inter alia athletes involved in volleyball, ice skating, skateboarding, snowboarding. Therefore, a need exists to have garments with protective padding that will allow the user to protect their knees while working or participating in a user's chosen activity.

There are various devices that can be used for protecting a persons knees while kneeling for work or recreation. For example, external knee pads attached to a user's garment via straps, fasteners, velcro, hooks and loops, magnets, or the like (see U.S. Pat. No. 334,687; U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,855; U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,412; U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,902; U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,403; U.S. Pat. No. 6,704,938; U.S. Pat. No. 7,219,372; U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,150). One disadvantage with these devices is that a user must attach the knee pad to their garment or body in order for the device to work. The attachments can be uncomfortable, they can cut off blood circulation, chafe, or burn the users leg. Another disadvantage of these devices is that they can be time consuming to put on or remove prior to and following each use. Another disadvantage of these devices is that the attachments can disengage causing the knee pad to move out of place or completely fall off of the user.

Another solution for protecting the knees while working or participating in recreational activities is garments having pockets attached to the garment and covering a area such as the knees, and inserting knee pads into the pocket (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,746; U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,124; U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,314; U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,666; U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,473; U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,081; U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,839; U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,398). One disadvantage of these garments is that the knee pads are permanently attached to the garment and when the padding becomes ineffective, the garment needs to be replaced. There are also garments having pockets attached to the garment that enable the user to insert and remove the knee pads. Once they are no long are effective in protecting the knees, the knee pad can be replaced without replacing the garment. However, these garments will continue deteriorate at the point of contact between the knee pad and the surface that the user is kneeling on even if the knee pads are continually replaced.

Therefore, a need exists to cure the above mentioned defects in garments having knee pads. This invention provides a garment having a pocket attached to the garment for inserting and removing a knee pad so that the garment will not wear down at a point or over an area of contact between the user and the surface upon which they are kneeling. The user will have continuous use of the knee pad without having to take the time to attach or remove it, the knee pad will not unintentionally disengage from the user, and the user will be able to easily replace the knee pads once they are no longer effective without having to prematurely replace the entire garment.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention is to provide a garment comprising: a pocket attached to the garment, wherein the pocket has an access point for inserting and removing a padding from the pocket and the pocket has an absence of material in an area not covering the external facing of the padding, wherein the padding will have direct contact with the surface a user is kneeling on.

A further embodiment of the invention is a garment wherein the garment is inter alia pants, shorts, skirts, and the like. The garment comprises various materials inter alia, cotton, denim, or a combination thereof.

An additional embodiment of the invention is a garment having a pocket. The pocket is located in a position on the garment where the garment will come into contact with a surface. For example, the pocket would cover a portion of the garment that is covering inter alia: a foot, an ankle, a shin, a leg, a knee, a hip, a torso, a shoulder, an arm, an elbow, or a head. The pocket is attached to the garment using various means known to a person skilled in the art, inter alia, stitching, glue, velcro, and the like.

A further embodiment of the invention is a garment having a pocket wherein the pocket comprises an access point for inserting and removing a padding. The access point for inserting and removing the padding can be open or closed. The access point having a means for opening and closing the pocket, wherein the means for opening and closing the pocket comprises inter alia: a button, a zipper, a velcro, a snap, or the like. The access point for inserting or removing the padding can be superior, inferior, medial, lateral, or a combination thereof. The access point can be on the exterior or the interior of the garment.

A further embodiment of the invention is a garment having a pocket wherein the pocket comprises an access point for inserting and removing a padding that would be secured in the pocket and the pocket has an absence of material at a point or over an area where the padding would be in direct contact with a surface.

Another embodiment of the invention is a padding that can be inserted or removed from the access point of the pocket on the garment. The padding comprises or consists of a foam, a plastic, a metal, or a combination thereof.

A further embodiment is a pant comprising a pocket covering covering a right knee, a left knee, or both knees, wherein the pocket has an access point for inserting or removing a padding, and the pocket does not have material covering external facing padding at a point or over an area at the point of contact between the user and a surface upon which the user is working.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: Entire view of a garment having pockets with pads at knee area.

FIG. 2: Section-view of a garment having a pocket at the knee area showing a location of pad relative to that of the knee as well as layers of fabric, including hole for knee pad, wherein the knee pad can be in direct contact with a surface.

FIG. 3: Detail of a garment having a pocket with pads at the knee area wherein the pad is removed from said pocket.

FIG. 4: Section-view of garment having a pocket at the knee area showing a location of a pad relative to that of the knee as well as layers of fabric, further comprising a second pocket comprising a second pad, wherein the second pocket has a absence of material wherein the second pad can be in direct contact with a surface.

FIG. 5: Entire view of a garment having a pocket (closed) with a pad at the knee area, further comprising a second pocket (closed) containing a second pad, wherein the second pocket contains an absence of material wherein the second pad can be in direct contact with a surface.

FIG. 6: Detail of a garment having a pocket with pads at the knee area wherein a pad is removed from said pocket, further comprising a second pocket, wherein the second pocket contains an absence of material wherein a second pad (removed) can be in direct contact with a surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A garment comprising: a pocket attached to said garment having a access point for inserting or removing a padding and the pocket does not have a material at a point or over an area covering the external facing of the padding. The garment can be made from any material known to a person skilled in the art comprising or consisting of: cotton, leather, denim, kavas, polyester, a synthetic fiber, or a combination thereof.

Garments are known to a person skilled in the art. The garment of the present invention comprises or consists of a pant; a trouser, a short pant, a skirt, a dress, an overall, or a combination thereof.

Garments comprising a pocket are known to those skilled in the art. The garment of the present invention comprises or consists of pocket covering; a foot, an ankle, a shin, a leg, a left knee, a right knee, both knees, a hip, a torso, a shoulder, an arm, an elbow, a head, or a combination thereof. The pocket can be on the interior or the exterior of the garment of the invention.

The pocket of the invention comprises an access point, an interior material having opposing sides; an external material having opposing sides; an inferior, superior, or combination of material having opposing sides attaching the interior material and external material thereby forming a pocket. The external material of the pocket comprises or consists of an absence of material at a point or over an area wherein the padding of the invention can have direct contact with a surface without touching the garment of the invention. The point or area of the pocket having an absence of material comprises or consists of: a square, a round, a circular, a diamond, an oval, or a combination thereof.

There are various means known to those skilled in the art for attaching the pocket to the garment of the present invention comprising or consisting of: a zipper, a button, a snap, a velcro, a clip, a wrap, an elastic, a glue, a tape, an adhesive, a magnet, or a combination thereof.

There are various means for accessing the pocket allowing the insertion or removal of padding from the pocket attached to the garment of the invention comprising or consisting of: a zipper, a button, a snap, a velcro, a clip, a wrap, an elastic, a glue, a tape, an adhesive, or a combination thereof. The access points for the pocket can be superior, inferior, medial, lateral, or a combination thereof.

The padding of the present invention comprises or consists of compositions: a foam, a plastic, a metal, a liquid, a gel, a rubber, a silicone, a kevlar, or a combination thereof. The padding of the invention comprises or consists of shapes: a square, a round, a circular, a diamond, an oval, or a combination thereof. The padding of the invention have a top, a bottom, an internal facing side, an external facing side, wherein the external side of the padding has direct contact with the surface. 

1. A garment comprising: a pocket attached to said garment having an access point for inserting or removing a padding wherein the pocket does not have a material at a point or over an area covering an external facing of the padding.
 2. The garment of claim 1, comprising: a pant; a trouser, a short pant, a skirt, a dress, an overall, or a combination thereof
 3. The garment of claim 1, wherein the pocket is attached to the garment and covers an area comprising: a foot, an ankle, a shin, a leg, a knee, a hip, a torso, a shoulder, an arm, an elbow, a head, or a combination thereof.
 4. A means for attaching said pocket to said garment of claim 1 comprising: a zipper, a button, a snap, a velcro, a clip, a wrap, an elastic, a glue, a tape, an adhesive, or a combination thereof
 5. The garment of claim 1, wherein the access point for inserting or removing a padding comprising an access point superior, inferior, medial, lateral, or a combination thereof to said pocket.
 6. The garment of claim 1, wherein the padding comprises: a foam, a plastic, a metal, a liquid, a rubber, a silicone, or a combination thereof
 7. A pant comprising a pocket attached to said pant at a point or an area covering a left knee, a right knee, or both knees, an access point in said pocket for inserting or removing a padding into the pocket, wherein the pocket does not have material covering external facing padding, at a point or over an area having direct contact with a surface. 